Well...I'm having a hard time composing my words tonight. Bear with me. Strangely, I have a sense of relief that I haven't felt for years.
Earlier today, I asked her over the phone that since she can't put into words how to tell me what she needs to say, that she should write out these things and see if she could express it somehow to me.
We took my Dad to dinner tonight. On our return, she took a shower and I worked on putting the princess to bed. While I was rocking her, she put a letter in my office, and went to bed. I went to the bedroom, and she said "There's a letter on your desk."
I went to my office. I was not prepared for this.
She admitted that she had a sexual encounter with OM#2 one night eight years ago on a business trip. They both regretted it afterward, and they never had any relationship subsequently.
They had been in renewed contact only recently, and were in the process of rekindling things when I confronted her about OM#1. She blames herself entirely for everything, and she believes "her game" has now destroyed two families. She feels like a train hit her and I am rebuilding her, an emptiness that can only be filled by me. She's afraid of me kicking her out and removing her only reason for living.
Obviously, I'm still processing this information. I'm pretty numb...don't really know what to feel. I've expected a PA for so long, that I'd kinda convinced myself anyway. I just didn't expect this story.
She says that everything that has now come to light is the extent of her infidelity. I think she is probably telling me the truth now.
I asked her what it was that made her finally come clean. She said it was the fact that I told her she was leaving the house on Sunday if I didn't have the complete truth. (So here's my contribution to the SI BS community - if you don't have the truth, stand your ground and give them an ultimatum they can't refuse.)
I am certainly hurting over this revelation. I don't know yet what lies ahead. But I feel finally that we can perhaps move forward. We had another long talk after I read her letter. She is very broken, remorseful, now talking about me instead of her. At this point, I think we do have a future.
It's amazing how one can feel such anger, indifference, shock, hope, and love all at the same time. My wife has made some big mistakes, and I'm not letting her off the hook. But, she is also an amazing person with a good heart deep down. We've shared more in the past 3 days than we have in the past 3 years, as far as issues that really matter in life.
I'm oddly hopeful again.
((((((((((((((SI)))))))))))))